Why some people hate daytime running lights.

I have a friend of mine that for some unknown reason HATES DRLs. I have them on my Silverado and give them zero thought until he brings them up.

He rants on how bulb life is reduced and how it impacts his gas mileage. Seriously, does anyone think that when the DRLs are on that it significantly impacts their fuel economy.

I had a 2008 Silverado and now a 2013 Silverado and I have never even needed to touch the headlight switch. The DRLs are on during the day and the headlights switch on when it gets dark.

As far as bulb life, I had to replace one bulb in the 4 years I owned the 2008 Silverado. My old 2002 Explorer Sport Trac did not have DRLs and had manula headlamps and I had to replace both headlights twice in that vehicle, and to boot the Sport Trac with a V6 engine got worse fuel economy with cr@ppier power than either of my Silverados.

I have should have DRLs, but they don't work (original owner must have messed with them) so I drive at all times with my headlights on. I like knowing people can see me and its nice having the dash illuminated all the time. I know some think this puts too much draw on the electrical system, but were only talking like 25-30 amps total with brake lights, park lights and headlights as well as interior lights. My factory alt is rated at 100 amps and I only see the voltmeter drop when I put the defroster on while running the blower on high and such. (after my big three upgrade)

IMO, DRLs might make a vehicle 1% safer in an oncoming traffic situation and probably use 0.05% more fuel. Because of this I give DRLs almost no thought unless someone else brings them up. If a vehicle had DRLs OK, if it does not OK, makes no impact on my buying decision.

Now what I do REALLY like is automatic headlamps on a vehicle. If a vehicle does not have automatic headlamps that does impact my buying decision.

Seriously, does anyone think that when the DRLs are on that it significantly impacts their fuel economy.

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I don't give it a second thought. Clearly your friend is overly concerned with pinching pennies if he cares about replacing a 3-5 dollar bulb every 4 years and saving however much gas it takes to activate the alternator just enough to supply only the power used by said bulb across the entirety of a given average drive.

Want to get his goat? Talk about how much energy he wasted thinking and b1tching about your DRL's and how it could have better spent on a real problem in the world. That should shut him up.

I have the park light type drl on the early to
mid 00' trucks and replaced them with amber sylvania long life bulbs about 6 years ago. I like the amber with my black truck and brush guard. As for fuel milage thats crap and probably not even measureable. Ask him how early he turns on his turn signals and how over the life of the bulbs that kills milage, or dome lights, or radio volume, or how driving not directly N,S,E,W wastes gas as the compass has to illuminate the NW, SW etc etc. You could go all day about that bs....

I don't give it a second thought. Clearly your friend is overly concerned with pinching pennies if he cares about replacing a 3-5 dollar bulb every 4 years and saving however much gas it takes to activate the alternator just enough to supply only the power used by said bulb across the entirety of a given average drive.

Want to get his goat? Talk about how much energy he wasted thinking and b1tching about your DRL's and how it could have better spent on a real problem in the world. That should shut him up.

I have should have DRLs, but they don't work (original owner must have messed with them) so I drive at all times with my headlights on. I like knowing people can see me and its nice having the dash illuminated all the time. I know some think this puts too much draw on the electrical system, but were only talking like 25-30 amps total with brake lights, park lights and headlights as well as interior lights. My factory alt is rated at 100 amps and I only see the voltmeter drop when I put the defroster on while running the blower on high and such. (after my big three upgrade)

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my 2000 SILVERADO uses 66 amps with the ac on max and the headlights on . I measured the amperage . DRL lamps draw about 5 amps max .total ..

I don't give it a second thought. Clearly your friend is overly concerned with pinching pennies if he cares about replacing a 3-5 dollar bulb every 4 years and saving however much gas it takes to activate the alternator just enough to supply only the power used by said bulb across the entirety of a given average drive.

Want to get his goat? Talk about how much energy he wasted thinking and b1tching about your DRL's and how it could have better spent on a real problem in the world. That should shut him up.

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I think he's more concerned that GM is "making" him have his headlights on. As I said, I don't even give DRLs a thought until someone else brings them up. If you Google "hate drls", you get a lot of people complaining about them. Seems to me that people have more time on their hands to complain about trivial stuff.